Three years after the New Democracy party’s second consecutive election victory on June 25, 2023, the Maximos Mansion is attempting to convey a message of continuity and commitment to the government’s work. The video released to mark the anniversary of that election victory reflects, according to government assessments, the basic strategy that will be followed until the end of the four-year term.
Within the Prime Minister’s inner circle, there is a prevailing belief that the evaluation of a government is an ongoing process and that the pre-election campaign effectively begins the day after the election. In this light, the emphasis is on fulfilling campaign promises and producing measurable results, with the goal of having citizens judge New Democracy based on its overall performance when election day arrives.
The anniversary video features a series of initiatives that relevant sources consider to be key milestones of the current term: tax relief, reforms to the National Health System, the “Prolavano” preventive screening program, school infrastructure projects, progress on major transportation projects, reforms in higher education, the judiciary, and the labor market, as well as initiatives related to defense, immigration policy, and major infrastructure projects across the country.
The prime minister’s and government officials’ ongoing tours of the regions—which will intensify as the elections approach—are also aimed at this same goal. Despite ongoing speculation about an early election, government sources reiterate that the plan remains unchanged and that national elections will be held at the end of the constitutional term, in the spring of 2027. As they note, the increase in visits is not linked to a surprise election, but rather to the goal of maintaining ongoing contact with local communities and monitoring the progress of projects.
A Decade-Long Plan
The Maximos Mansion’s strategy ahead of the next election is based on presenting a plan for Greece for the coming decade and comparing it with the other parties. New Democracy officials argue that the opposition focuses primarily on the allocation of resources and the announcement of benefits, without, in their view, presenting a comprehensive plan for generating new wealth and sustaining the economy’s growth momentum.
The government’s reaction following Alexis Tsipras’s latest television interview was particularly sharp. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis strongly criticized the former prime minister, questioning his references to institutional consistency and transparency, while bringing back into the spotlight issues linked to the period of SYRIZA’s governance - ANEL.
Specifically in the economic sphere, the government rejected the proposals presented by Mr. Tsipras, arguing that they do not take into account European fiscal rules and the current spending limits. Official sources contrast the recent tax cuts and measures to support households and families with what they characterize as the opposition’s “unfunded promises.”
At the same time, they believe that the key issue in the upcoming elections will concern not only the level of benefits promised by each political party, but primarily whether it has a realistic plan for financing them and for maintaining the country’s growth trajectory. And in this regard, they believe that New Democracy has the edge.